initiate and coordinate Union-wide stress tests in accordance with Article 32 to assess the resilience of financial market participants, in particular the systemic risk posed by key financial market participants as referred to in Article 23, to adverse market developments, and evaluate the potential for systemic risk posed by key financial market participants to increase in situations of stress, ensuring that a consistent methodology is applied at the national level to such tests and, where appropriate, address a recommendation to the ...[+++] competent authority to correct issues identified in the stress test.

A reinsurance undertaking should have assets to cover technical provisions and equalisation reserves which should take account of the type of business that it carries out in particular the nature, amount and duration of the expected claims payments, in such a way as to secure the sufficiency, liquidity, security, quality, profitability and matching of its investments, which the undertaking should ensure are diversified and adequately spread and which gives the undertaking the possibility of responding adequately to changing economic c ...[+++]ircumstances, in particular developments in the financial markets and real estate markets or major catastrophic events.

A reinsurance undertaking should have assets to cover technical provisions and equalisation reserves which should take account of the type of business that it carries out in particular the nature, amount and duration of the expected claims payments, in such a way as to secure the sufficiency, liquidity, security, quality, profitability and matching of its investments, which the undertaking should ensure are diversified and adequately spread and which gives the undertaking the possibility of responding adequately to changing economic c ...[+++]ircumstances, in particular developments in the financial markets and real estate markets or major catastrophic events.

In exercising its implementing powers, the Commission should respect the following principles: the need to ensure confidence in financial markets among investors by promoting high standards of transparency in those markets; the need to provide investors with a wide range of competing investments and a level of disclosure and protection tailored to their circumstances; the need to ensure that independent regulatory authorities enforce the rules consistently, especially as regards the fight against economic crime; the need for high levels of transparency and consultation with all market participants and with the European Parliament and ...[+++]the Council; the need to encourage innovation in financial markets if they are to be dynamic and efficient; the need to ensure market integrity by close and reactive monitoring of financial innovation; the importance of reducing the cost of, and increasing access to, capital; the balance of costs and benefits to market participants on a long-term basis (including small and medium-sized businesses and small investors) in any implementing measures; the need to foster the international competitiveness of EU financial markets without prejudice to a much-needed extension of international cooperation; the need to achieve a level playing field for all market participants by establishing EU-wide regulations every time it is appropriate; the need to respect differences in national markets where these do not unduly impinge on the cohesion of the single market; and the need to ensure coherence with other Community legislation in this area, as imbalances in information and a lack of transparency may jeopardise the operation of the markets and above all harm consumers and small investors.

The integration of financial markets will result in widespread benefits for all sectors of the economy while giving consumers more choice, better opportunities for more value for money and higher returns on their investments.

(166) Restructuring aid for firms may be granted only in cases where a restructuring plan restores the firm's viability, i.e. leads to a "normal" rate of return that allows the aided firm to continue by its own efforts, because this "normal" market rate of return is acceptable to a market economy investor.